101. How Sustainable (and Ethical) is Wool? with Mike Sombery

In episode 101 of the Outdoor Minimalist podcast, we get into the nitty gritty of wool production and answer the question: How sustainable and ethical is wool?

Wool is a widely used natural fiber in the outdoor industry. From socks to sweaters, people have relied on wool materials to keep them warm and safe in even the most extreme weather. As more of us gravitate away from synthetic materials and try to find more sustainable natural fibers that perform well, we might prefer wool.

But is wool always the best choice? You might be surprised by the answers brought forward by my guest, Mike Sombery.

Mike served as the Marketing Director at Duckworth for three years and was initially drawn to the company due to its intersectionality of performance fashion, sustainable supply chain and small-footprint management, and Montana-based agriculture. A passionate outdoorsman, Mike has watched as brands operating under the guise of outdoor-loving apparel manufacturers have disregarded the environment and ecology of wild places and is dedicated to helping forge an example-setting model for others to follow and iterate upon.

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Duckworth

Website: https://www.duckworthco.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/duckworthco/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DuckworthCo

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/DuckworthCo

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/duckworthco/

Connect with Mike Somerby: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-somerby/

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Related Episodes

3. How to Identify Sustainable Product Materials

12. What's the Deal with Natural Fibers in the Outdoor Industry?

33. The Truth About Sustainable Shoes

67. Using Apparel to Make the Outdoors Accessible for All

72. What’s the Deal with Deadstock?

96. Balancing Fabric Performance and Sustainability

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Original music by Alex Carney and Ethan Wiese

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